The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including a sheet feeding device as an option device installed below an apparatus main body part having an image forming part.
In an image forming apparatus, a sheet feeding device may be added below an apparatus main body having an image forming part. When the sheet feeding device is added, the image forming apparatus becomes possible to deal with various sheet sizes and to feed a large number of sheets.
The apparatus main body and sheet feeding device are not only mechanically connected, but also electrically connected by connectors respectively provided on a bottom face of the apparatus main body and on a top face of the sheet feeding device in order to communicate control signal and to supply power. In such a case, because the connector of the apparatus main body is provided on the bottom face, there are problems that it is hard for a worker to visually confirm a position of the connector and to correctly connect the connector when the sheet feeding device is installed. In general, the connector of the apparatus main body is protected by a connector cover, if the installation of the sheet feeding device were tried by mistake while the connector cover is removed, there are possibilities that a protrusion, such as a guide pin, arranged near the connector of the sheet feeding device hits against the connector of the apparatus main body by mistake, and then, malfunction, such as damage of a connector housing, occurs.
Thereupon, there is an image forming apparatus connecting the connector of the apparatus main body and the connector of the sheet feeding device by interlocking with an action mechanically aligning positions of the apparatus main body and sheet feeding device. Alternatively, there is an image forming apparatus, in which the sheet feeding device includes an aligning pin and the apparatus main body includes an aligning guide guiding the aligning pin, and then, when the apparatus main body is placed onto the sheet feeding device in a state where the aligning pin is engagingly stopped with the aligning guide, the connector of the apparatus main body and the connector of the sheet feeding device are connected.
However, in a case of connecting the connectors by interlocking the aligning of the positions of the apparatus main body and sheet feeding device or by using the aligning pin and aligning guide, because the connecting work is carried out without visually confirming the position of the connector actually, it is hard to grasp whether or not the connection is sure. Moreover, there is a possibility that the protrusion at a side of the sheet feeding device comes into contact with the connector at a side of the apparatus main body when the positions of the apparatus main body and sheet feeding device are aligned.